With Spring Comes Hope
by Akkibai
Summary: Outcasts and tainted pasts. Theyr odd and their angsty.At first glance,the teens belong in completely different sections of the insane asylum. so to speak.in one fatefull trip,they find eachother ;D Narugaara Naruto x Gaara possible Sasunaru and other.
1. Just Another Day

**My first story.**

It's my first, and It's got everything. Humor, Angst, Drama, odd situations, dancing people, pandas, and _Rrrromance in a far away island._ All tied to the aspect of school-teens. Ha let's see just how good this gets! :D

The icons go as follows:words surrounded by ' ' or just plain words that sound like thoughts _are_ thoughts. " " are words. and * * are actions (i rarely use these though) P.O.V= Point Of view.

::Gaara's POV::

beep beeP beEP bEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP! hm? '...oh its that time again...i didn't even get to think that much tonight...hn...' * a lazy hand swings over to the alarm clock and barely pats it on the top, making the beeping turn off* I sat up in bed and rubbed my eyes while looking around dazed, and blinked a few times.

Out of focus and blurry, getting up wasn't the easiest task. But I get up on my feet and stumble around for a bit before heading over to my small closet. It seemed like opening that closet just unleashes bad news. Hmm….like the Pandora box. Hehe. 'hn...temari forgot to wash my clothes again...i guess this will have to do...not that i really care about my physical appearance either way. ' I picked out a pair of almost-painfully-tight black skinnies from a lonely rack. Looking up I make a reach for the first decent shirt I spot on a hanger. Wait…ok it's black….simple and won't attract attention…'.wait….Is That… is that a panda…in the middle?…. ' "grraaarr...that girl...i regret letting her pick out most of my clothes ..how long has this been here?…Temari…no no no no no. it doesn't matter" i muttered.I quickly selected my faveorite (and may i state only) combat boots '. purple.' why? Because of her. it irked me yes but i wasn't too concerned. Black shirt (for the most part….) with a….black and white beast on it. 'Grrr. im not fond of those things….'

Skin-tight jeans. Why? Because she. _She_ picked them out. 'slipping these things on is harder than it looks.'

'oi? Is that a rip? Why would she buy RIPPED clothes? Is it not the point of clothes to cover skin up?…..great….now my knee's exposed….and just as bare white as that panda.'

*siiigh* paired with a panda shirt nothing could be…grrr… _Better_. Yeah its _juuuust_ dandy.

Not even bothering to look into the mirror, i run a hand through my medium long, rich maroon hair. i grabbed my pack and was out of my bedroom. I slumped down the never-ending stairs with my head looking down. A peachy face with soft yellow hair popped out of what i thought was thin air. "G 'mornin kiddo! I have breakfast ready, Kankuro wouldn't stop begging for bacon yesterday so i had to make some." I walked past her and glumly said "Ohiyo Temari...where _is_ Kankuro..." he must still be sleeping... that idiot can sleep for days "oh well i don't know...tch...i bet he's still sleeping" said Temari agreeing with my thought. 'i guess someone should wake him up...but I don't like yelling... ' "KANKURO GET YOUR LAZY ASS DOWN!" Temari did it for me. He managed to stumble down the stairs without falling. "I'm right upstairs there's no need to...no need to *YAAAWN*...yell" "there _is_ a need to yell because even a train won't wake **_you_** up" i muttered. For the heck of it, I shot a him a look that was _meant_ to make him feel like an imbecile. And it worked. *sniff sniff* "i-is that b-b-bacon i smell?" said Kankuro ignoring my look. He spoke with a hint of Anticipation in his crackly voice, still dry from sleeping like a log. "yea...here" Temari threw Kankuro a plate with pancakes, eggs, and bacon. Were it not that they were all ninjas, the plate would have smashed in his face, (though unfortunately he was) in fact if they weren't ninjas Temari probably wouldn't have thrown it in the first place. But seeing as this family wasn't quite normal…."do you want something to eat Gaara?" asked Temari with a hint of tension in her voice. "...no I'm not hungry..." i said plainly. "okay, dont forget to brush your teeth and freshen up!" Temari yelled after me as i walked into the bathroom to brush my teeth. Just as I had done any other morning...but...but today felt tiring somehow different. I get my toothbrush and paste and quietly, without so much as a whisper to fill the eerie silence. ...hm...now to do what Temari calls "Freshening up" I grabbed the towel out of the rack it was put on. *sigh* I hesitantly put the limp towel under the cold running water. 'It's useless…but it one more minute I'm not at school….or dying….but that would probably be better.' I put the moist towel on the base of my forehead. Then I spread it over my cheeks and under and around the eyes. After that, I rubbed it down the long structure that was my nose. Following right after was chin and rather edgy jaw line. I traced my jaw line down to my soft, thin neck with a few veins and muscles clearly visible around the neck area, as I noticed.I threw the dripping wet towel on the tiled counter top next to the sink. Not even bothering to dry it out or put it back. I grabbed another dry, fuzzy, black towel. I dabbed at my face, drying it with the black towel. Then I gently tossed it aside. My face looked a little cleaner, and I noticed specks of dirt that were previously on my face had been removed. 'hm...She Really has no clue…' I walk back out to the kitchen where Temari and Kankuro are still eating. '…that this changes nothing' "ah! Gaara are you done? You sure you don't want anything to eat?" asked Temari. "no" I answered, halfway out the door already. I walked right out the door, following the worn down gravel path that had sunk into the earth within all the years it had been walked and ran across. A seemingly ancient road with not a single person to be seen within it except me. I could not care less if there were 1 or 1 million people on this road though. I have to walk this empty street...with a mind burdened with broken dreams. This life I live is a curse...I'm doomed forever to wander the earth sad and alone. Will I take this...really? '...no... a reason to live...to survive...I myself must find a reason.' Of course it's not as if I haven't been searching. It's not as if I haven't before found reasons….that failed the cursed road becomes the road to my existence...my absence will no longer be being alive will no longer be denied. This is my purpose, but I don't have to repeat it to myself every day. And I don't. it just comes. Even something as simple as approaching a fork in the road while in deep thought, makes eveeeerything harder. I did not notice that I had gotten as far as this split in the road.

I just walked.I heard this faint, far off sort of sound. I couldn't quite make out what it was. At first it sounded like some kind of animal in distress. is that some kind of dying animal?...i could finish it off...put it out of its misery...lucky thing it would be….but I'm not that nice Then I saw an orange kind of blurry dot off in the distance. '...a dying fox?... ' Then as it came closer the noise became more of a scream and i saw the orange blur was actually a person. a...per...son?...no one ever comes this way...this is my road... I stood my ground even if almost defensively.a few minutes went by and the orange blur didn't seem to be getting any closer. Just jittering in space. ...grr...this is starting to annoy me...I'm crossing the road before that **thing** gets in front of me... i made my way slowly across the Road. Halfway there i heard a familiar sound. "FWOOSH... BANG!" Then specks of sand flew in front of my face and fluttered about. My sand had taken a hit?...from what?...not that dying thing is it?... I looked up for a slight second and saw the sun had begun to rise. Small wavering ribbons of light emerged from the edge of as far as I could see. Then a glare caught my eye, reflecting in my eyelashes making it a blurry sight. ahh Yet I kept my head held high. I felt a small, pitiful blow of air coming this way. I noticed my sand had already fallen to the ground and was slowly crawling back into the ground. As I turned around I felt the air pick up and tossed my hair around, catching in my eyes so I could only see rouge. I lifted my head, my hair lifelessly falling back in place. Then I saw a small boy sitting on the ground with a big surprised look on his face as if he'd just been hit with the answer to life. The sun's glaring rays managed to catch a glimpse at the boy's eyes and made them a glossed-over azure. At that moment...I felt a warm, pulsing, feeling run up my spine, invade my cheekbones, and encase my entire body, swirling to my feet. Though I stood, poker faced...with slight arched non-brows but nothing else. ...what?... A warm breeze draped around me bringing fluffy dandelions and scented rose petals, then it fell across the boy petals and all...it slightly tossed his golden hair around in the wind...it was a warm breeze. It got carried away by the wind's free will. I felt that breeze...swiftly tussling his hair to one side...then off it went. I did not care to look at the petals...apparently neither did the boy since he still had this look of aw across his face, mouth slightly agape. Pools of light fell across the young boy on the floor. A warmth fell on my back and I caught a ray of sunshine blinding me ... small octagon-like shapes of color came across and ended in fade. I could of sworn I heard ...I don't know what….like many instruments...but with an edge...no...was I imagining it? It was untamed and it was graceful...but above all, familiar...I blinked...but held them closed for a while trying to name the tune...I heard the small voice of someone...as if someone was playing a song on some imaginary radio...I was reluctant to open them...almost as if someone had put a heavy weight on my lids... a vision of the boy materialized in my closed eyes. Positioned just as he was a minute ago... when I finally managed to whip them open... it was gone...music I mean...but the boy still seemed to be there...I slowly looked around and shifted my weight onto my other foot. "...Watch where your going...Uzumaki" finally said. This Naruto boy...hn... He lay, still on he ground with eyes wide...then he blinked a few times and said "...eh? oh...G-gaara Ri-ight?...WAIT ACK! I GOTTA RUUN!" He got up and ran off towards the right road. I then looked to my left and heard another small squeak in the distance...a higher pitched one...but it was human because it was saying some words I could not decipher...not yet anyways... This pink blob came running like a cat from water. Screeching? Screeching why? "COME BACK HERE YOU IDIOT! HOW DARE YOU SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT! WHY DONT YOU JUST COME HERE AND SAY IT TO MY FACE YOU IDIOT? OOOH,YOULL BE IN A WHEELCHAIR WHEN IM DONE WITH YOU!" then she ran off and tailed the dying fox. I heard something. "N-N-NOOOO IM SOOO SOOOORRY I-I NEVER MEANT YOU HAD A P-PRETTY BIG FOREHEAD! J-JUST A P-PRETTY OOOONE! GAAAAAAH!" imbecile...no...two imbeciles. I cant understand the purpose of people and their actions…but I do my …_best_. I thought some more before coming to an out of topic thought. It was particularly off. "of course not" I self mumbled in response to my thoughts. ...well they must be heading to school...I should follow...i cant believe i had forgotten the path...the right path... I followed in their footsteps, though a bit far behind. "of course not...or..."

This is it! The first chapter anyways. There's far more to come. Oh and i'll be putting song lyrics into here soon. :D Yaaaay! for first chapter!

Ifff ur a REALLY good writer, (or not?), then please feel free to review. you know, it's mah first so i'll be needing any possible tips i can get.

TANK YOU! ;D


	2. Or So I thought

Well i guess i had this up really quick now didn't I? ;D yeah. well this is part 2 and soon we'll have the juicy part up. real exciting an all. That bloody sakura really has to sod off though.

Naruto's POV:: 

beep beeP beEP bEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP!eh? o-oh...i-its...tiime...aaggaaaaaiiiiin *groooaaan* *a lazy hand swings over and bonks the alarm clock and then lays over the bed* i didn't get much sleep this night... I cracked one eye open and looked around...then I raised my other hand and rubbed my eye... I literally rolled out of bed but miscalculated and fell off with a big "THUD!" "...ooouchh..." i said with dazed eyes. I blinked and stood up... At least i don't need to worry about any one hearing that... *sigh* i stumbled to my closet but saw the mirror and...i caught myself... ...I still remember when I wasn't tall enough to look in this mirror...i was so small...not even a Genin hehe...*sigh* too bad now that i am...they put up yet another school...i guess it helps...but...eh...whatever...if only I knew what to expect of myself...in more ways than one... i looked down to the side of the ground... then I picked out something from my closet...*sigh*...the usual...orange...not that that's bad...one of my favorites...along with blue…that's one of my faves too. I think ill wear white and orange though. Outfit: Bright orange skinnies, emmm white leather for belt, white MJ-type jacket, aaand ill top it off with black converse. (orange laces of course ;D) I stopped to check my hair in that same mirror...again. I ran a thin hand threw my golden, spiked hair and tussled around a bit. hmm...kinda like an i just got outa bed look :D...in a good way though...I like it!... I then proceeded through the small living room and into the kitchen. I rummaged through the cupboards...hmmm...where is it, where is it, WHERE IS IT?...i know I still have sooome "aha!" I mumbled. I took out a small square box with a picture of some noodles on the front. I took out a bowl and got the ramen ready, then put it in the microwave. okay, I've got about 3 minutes now...eh…for some reason I'm not as excited about Ramen as I usually am...is it...i don't like it anymore?...NO NO OFCOURSE NOT I LOOOVE RAMEN! Then what is it?...its not the feeling I have usually in the morning...- BEEEEP! "GAH!" I turned around and saw steaming ramen in the microwave... oh...I guess I killed 3 minutes already...well whatever...I cant keep thinking about it...though...*I took the Ramen out of the microwave and got some chop sticks* "dig in..." I just stared at the ramen though...and I picked around with it... "I...I'm...not hungry..." i told a non-existing person. But I knew that wasn't it...no where near... I just left it on the table and walked into the bathroom to look in the mirror. A strong and defined jaw line, roundish face, pointy chin and high cheekbones stared back at me. sigh...I need my headband I ran to my room but- ...WHERED IT GO? NOOO I COULDNT HAVE LOST IT! Gah I really need to clean in here. "Ah!" I said as i plucked out a blue sash with a shiny metal plate on it. unscratched, thankfully I latched it on and tied it to the back of my head with a "Swoosh". I looked up with my "bring it" face on and ran out, grabbing my backpack on the way. I was outta there...until I saw Sakura walking down the road off in the distance. eh? Sakura! He he talking to her won't do me harm will it? Aha? '"hahaha!" i smiled a close eyed smile. "Oi Sakura, Ino! :D" I said as i approached them. ...hmm...something's different... "did you get new clothes or something?" I said. "Noooo" she just stood there. waiting. …what's she waiting for? Is she waiting for me to _guess_? "*sigh*...look at my hair..." she said. ...EEEH?...sakura has...a...a pony taaaaaiiil! Along with bangs! on the side of her face!...wait a second...doesn't err Ino usually do that? But now she has...her hair down...w-with a ...headband?...SAKURA'S HAIR STYLE! It makes Sakura look like she has a big forehead...and well Ino's hair looks...well...okay, i guess. except for the fact that she still has her bangs ...and Sakura still has a headband "well...I s-see now...ehehehe " "hehe. What, you like? Me and Ino did each other's hair this morning!" said Sakura. "yea, see i really like my hair down!" said Ino. "...w-w-ell...Ino, you ...ermm...look like your still attached to the bangs...it...kinda looks...bad...and Sakura,...well...now it really shows how you have a pretty big forehead, don't you? Hahaha! :D" I said. ...oh...what did I just do?... Sakura put on an "I'm gonna kill you" face. "...ehehehe ..." oh my god…RUN ME RUN! retreated the hand i was gonna land on Her shoulder. "NAAAAARUUUUTOOOO YOOOOU IIIIDIIIIIOOOOT COOOOME BAAAACK HEEEEEERE!" she said running and leaving Ino behind in the dust with her hair and skirt rustling "GAAAAAAAAAAAH!" at this point I feel as if I did 0-60 in 0.3 seconds! I kept running down the road and kept screaming for my own sake, or suffer the dire consequences. I saw a fork coming up in the road and kept I knew where school was. I turned my head around while still keeping up my desperate pace to see how far behind Sakura was trailing...*phew* pretty far. "Aaaagh!" i suddenly and without a warning fell to the ground with my head still turned towards Sakura. What hit me? D: I turned around and cursed at whatever had hit me. "HEY-..." I felt my brow wrinkle up in a "huh?" kind of face...wh-what's this?... I sat there...too surprised to speak. So quietly I mouthed the word "...s-sand?..." There was a big wall of seemingly...sand!...right in front if me, big and tall. I...I bumped into...s-s...sand?Then the sand limply abandoned all signs of life with a"Sssssshhh" sound. Standing right there was some kind of silhouette. ...huh?.. Is that a ...person?... The silhouette stood...shrouded I'm mystery. ...whu...what is this?... Rays of golden light glared and swept across the dark silhouette, zigzagging light across the shadow for a split second. ...wha-who? who is this? Then a small spiritless breeze...turned into a wild, and free thrust of wind. Then at that moment the bright, blazing sun awoke and illuminated the mystery person. And at that moment the person turned around, the warm swift, sway of the wind getting tangled in the person's hair, covering their eyes. Blood Red mane. And albino white. While mouth still agape and eyes completely open. It was then at that slowed motion, time miracle that the wind brought fluffy, dancing Dandelions. The puffy little dandelions, like nature's dream dancers. When the wind finally settled down, twisting strands of hair separated to reveal Pale…green...moons... Glimmering...with the most divine intensity resembling that of the sea's...a cloudless clear sky...was it green or blue? I can't tell ...though...his eyes...sealed away a something cold I recognize that frosty look! Its foggy and vacant. Like cataracts. But where have I seen it before?... Though that didn't ice the moment. It was too warm...too sweet. Flower Petal's Dolce aroma filled the morning. I feel something. It's sort of bothering me. .Naruto had no idea this even was a feeling. "...Watch Where You'r Going...Uzumaki...". The voice was low and rough, scary even. He seemed To Falter as if trying to remember, when he said "Uzumaki". Naruto, in sudden realization, his eyes widened to an impossible size, for they were already wide in disbelief. Gaara?... The sun's rays unwarningly died out, the warmth of that moment had melted down and all was back to normal. It seemed like a far off memory. "...eh? Oh,...G-gaara, R-right?" I said, in a trembling but rough voice. "bbzzzzzzzzzz" a high-pitched mosquito noise swarmed about. ...Ng! Sak-sakura-chan!... "AAAACK! I GOTTA RUUUUN!" I sprung up and willed my legs to keep going in my original direction. Next thing I know, a squeak voice finally came into focus "COME BACK HERE YOU IDIOT! HOW DARE YOU SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT! WHY DONT YOU COME HERE AND SAY IT TO MY FACE YOU IDIOT? OOOH,YOULL BE IN A WHEELCHAIR WHEN IM DONE WITH YOU!" ...N-NOO! "N-N-NOOOO IM SOOO SOOOORRY I-I NEVER MEANT YOU HAD A P-PRETTY BIG FOREHEAD! J-JUST A P-PRETTY OOOONE! GAAAAAAH!" It was all I could think of, yet I kept running. I decided to take the chance to look back to see how close Sakura was trailing behind me. I looked over my shoulder, slowing down just a little tiny bit. I saw Sakura as a very fuzzy pink thing...and farther back was...a flowing red figure. I started to turn around, yet before then i managed to catch a glimpse out of the corner of my eye, of the flowing red object moving. Gah! i turned around, gained momentum and kept running as fast as I could around Sakura. that sakura-chan...so Cute, but so Vicious...sort of like a mad pony hehe... I Sprinted to school and kept my distance from Sakura.

Brought to you by Im in a bear suit! Which is not completely accurate. aha well this next part comin up has a little mini pairing of it's own. guess who it is? ;D


	3. Until This happened!

::Author POV::

Rows upon Rows of bored, drab and I even dare say ugly ninjas; Not one of them paying half the attention they should be. As Iruka-sensei's morning announcements inched by, the late bell rung.

"Ahh. Time to take attendance, my children!" to which he accordingly took out a small clipboard. If someone were to look out the window right now, they would see a teenage Naruto Uzumaki racing down the hall from his locker. He screeched into a turn at his classroom, 23. "I- I'm IM HERE IRUKA- SENSEI! PLEASE TELL ME THE BELL HASN'T RUNG YET!" the boy was tired and out of breath… but why? Iruka-sensei slowly turned and replied. "…I see, you're here eh? Well…congratulations," Naruto's face lit up to this. "…it seems, YOUR LATE AGAIN! Now please take a seat. :D" Naruto huffed and puffed his way to his seat in the second row. He just plopped down all angry-like. Even though he was late, was this a good seat? Yes. Yes it was. For Naruto at least, the circumstances were pretty acceptable. On your left ladies and gentlemen, the Never-ending abyss which is Choji. If you'll look to your right of Naruto, you'll find the beautiful but toxic Sasuke Volcano. In front as you can see, is the hazy and mystery-showered Mt. Gaara. Behind, at last, is the vaguely dull yet seemingly flower meadow Sakura.

The whole class started whispering during attendance. Whispers turned to words. Which turned ever so _unpredictably _into shouts and yells. "Now Class…" shouts continued

"…class! Oh, class please quiet down!" yells go undisturbed. "…Claaaass don't _make_ me yell!_" _he threatened. But the class just seemed to taunt 'blah blah blah! I can't hear you!' Iruka's face went as red as an embarrassed lobster. The steam was almost visible from out his train station ears.

"QUIET! …or the man dies…"

Someone yelped. Then quiet. Not crickets dared chirp. It was almost as if you could hear the student's hearts stop. Iruka-sensei was being held at er… knife-point. The man silver-haired man laughed. No not, evilly. Hearty and good (surprisingly with this situation)

"KAKASHI! You could've scared them shi-" "eh eh eh! May I _remind _you…irukun, the rating of this story?" Iruka just stared at him. Angry and confused.

(by the way it's rated T. so it should be ok. Buuut….haha just keep reading ;D)

"Well Kakashi you should know far better, one of these children could've….I…you-" Kakashi cut him off. Rude. "If I were you, I'd be less concerned for the little brats. Weren't You the one who…. Screamed?" he added this last word in quickly, pulled up an eyebrow and followed it up with smug lips. Completed the look he was trying to say. "Weren't cha?"

" I WAS THE ONE WITH THE DAGGER TO MY HEAD!"

"Hehehe… so you were, irukun." He turned to the crowd and added with outstretched arms. "But it _is_ a rather witty way to shut the brats up eh? Works ev-er-y time!"

"…I told you…_specifically_, not to use that name. That nickname. Is OFF limits. I told you. Didn't I tell you? Ya I've told you." he turned around to face the students. "haven't I told him children?" there were a few nods and shuffles. "…although, they are quiet now. So thank you. And I won't hold that knife sit-uuuuuation against you. Haha." iruka turned to grab his clipboard again. "as if, irukun. Just if." a growl escaped iruka-sensei's lips but kakashi just snatched iruka's clipboard before he could grasp it. "hmm….letsee here….

NARUTO!"

"EH UH?….whu…yea?" Naruto was obviously sleeping!

"you were late…again? Care to explain yourself?"

"umm…yeah I. *YAWN* sak…sakura and eh Gaa-

"**DETENTI****ON**!"

Kakashi chuckled and just continued some announcements. Naruto sat there bewildered and too angry to protest.

"Ha…Well, well brats! Your in for a ride! It seems you've got a- *ahem*" Iruka cleared his throat rather loudly…if not hinting at something.

Iruka tapped his shoe but only smiled smug. Kakashi "….*siiiigh*" he handed over the clipboard with a due roll of the eyes and accompanied face palm.

With a smile, Iruka said "yes, as kakashi-kun said, we have…" Iruka shot kakashi a low profiled look and lowering his voice, finished. "work…to do"

"but this time will be a bit different" kakashi said.

Lets see, kakashi took back (stooole) the clipboard.

"but!-" "irukun, I think I can make this faaar more interesting. " a mischievous twinkle appeared in kakashi's eye that sasuke caught. Oooh he knew all too well that it. meant. Trouble. Sasuke was a simple onlooker in the crowd. A bystander, but soon ( if he did nothing) a victim. "sharingan!" sasuke whipered. "No cheating, sasuke…neji." said kakashi while scanning the pages of his clipboard. "damn"

"hehe." kakashi chuckled.

"STUDENTS FRONT AND CENTER" everyone did as told and crowded up the teacher's line of view.

"Choji….emmm…shikamaru.." both heard their names called and replied with a dutiful

"What?"

"Get together, I've paired you. You are group….umm….zero." kakashi looked almost surprised. (in a sarcastic way) "My Irukun! Wow these group names are so…very….original.- KIDS YOUR FREE TO CHOOSE YOUR OWN TEAM NAMES!" "but kakashi-kun! I picked numbers to keep it rather organi-" "TEAM MEATLOAF!" yelled choji. ….. Everyone looked at shikamaru for acceptance. Arms behind head he shrugged." eh" "Fine. Next let's haaave….Sakura" "HERE SIR! PLEASE PAIR ME WITH SASUKE-KUN SIR!" "hmm granted" said kakashi. Sakura's face lit up and sasuke grumbled. "R-REALLY?" kakashi turned his head to reply "haha no!" with a squint eyed smile. Iruka whispered something unheard into kakashi's ear. "Sasuke, Front and center…blah blah blah you know what's next. _So-rry_!" kakashi didn't mean it. Hah 'that bastard.' is what went through sasuke's thoughts. Kakashi now thought long and hard as sasuke trudged over in front. "Well…I did tell you this would be two or three man squads….so… I guess I'll pair you two wiiith…" "Please oh please don't pair me with _INO PIG_! I mean I get three wishes right?" Sakura begged. Kakashi had a look that clearly expressed what words would say, "What, do I look like a genie to you?" To top it all of, Iruka intervened. "HINATA! Come here sweetie, your with sakura" Hinata nimbly did as she was told and scurried on over next to her. "Team name any one?" asked kakashi happily. "this is ridiculous…" sasuke mumbled. "Ridiculous it is!" Kakashi scribbled into Iruka's clipboard. Iruka, snickering. "Ahahah! What a lovely name sasuke! How brilliant I mean the angst and irony of it!-" praise from sakura would get her flat no where. Kakashi took one last gander at the …ridiculous team. And dismissed them. "**NEXT**!" the team trudged off to stand somewhere else. "emm…Ino. Shino. And….emmm…Kiba! Yes!" Ino grumbled down and stomped hard, just glaring at sakura. Venom seeping out of her staring eyeballs…..Ew. Kiba hopped from desk to desk, down with akamaru in his jacket front. That boy and his dog. Like lassie and…that kid. Haha. And oh my god. Shino just…appeared out of thin air. Very surreptitiously. "Hehmm..hehe…you guys strike me as an odd team. There we go! Team odd!." he scribbled thi in his clipboard. Iruka saying "congratulations haha!" "emm up next iiis…OH! Neji Come here! Tenn- Tenn….aaaand Lee" all of which centered up with an excess amount of youth crap from Lee. Which continued for what seemed like hours. "Yes Kakashi Sensei! Iruka sensei! With the power of youth bestowed upon me I Will!-" and it just goes on. "….eegh Alright! Now please quiet! **TEAM YOUTH**! Ugh…"

Kakashi shuddered. "Kakashi! Don't be rude!" "But Irukun!- "NEXT! Kankuro, Matsuri, and Sai!" for once Irukun interrupted Kakashi. Heh. The trio filed up, and sai looked frantic. "Have you seen mah paint brush?" he asked his tam mates, in an odd British accent. The others pointed to his ear, where it lay. "…Righte-o that's the last of them and team crazy it is." kakashi checked this on Iruka's clipboard. "siiigh…Kakashi, I hardly think-" "_Which_ is why _I'll _do all the thinking for you irukun. Don't you worry you're little empty head." a pat on the head made Iruka grunt. "…wait. 5.…10.…kakashi-kun, we're missing some people." Iruka said concerned. "what? Who could be missing? We got everyone, we got sasuke, sakura, uh-" His eyes shot up

"NARUTO!"

Everyone turned their attention to a dozing naruto.

"zzz….om nom nom …..s-sa…zzzz" "How _dare_ that dork dream about me?" thought sakura. "How _Dare_ that Dobe dream of me?" thought Sasuke. "How nice, the dullard dreams of me." thought sai.

"WAKE UP NARUTO!" iruka came over to his desk and slapped him upside the head.

"WAAAGH!" he fell out of his chair with a loud "THUD!" but just as quickly got up.

** "your with Gaara"**

The room went eerie dead quiet. Breaths about to be taken stopped mid way to be replaced by gasps. Everyone looked over at the red-fogged and secluded Mt. Gaara.

He had both hands cradling his head. He abruptly looked up to stare at everyone vacantly.

Black skin tight-pants, panda-ey shirt, purple combat boots and all, Gaara stepped to the front, into the spotlight.


	4. And Then Everything

_Next to the golden glow of Naruto, Gaara looked like a paler version of Vlad the impaler. Naruto wore bright neon skinnies, white leather belt, black converse attired with orange laces, and a zipped up white leather MJ-styled jacket. (Loose at the top, tight at the waist, long armed, and popped collar.) All of which made Naruto glow even more, down-sizing the awkward Gaara. Naruto fidgeted and broke out with "BUT IRUKA-SENSEI, I WANTED TO BE WITH SA-"_

"_No you dobe." sasuke interrupted…he could be so_ rude! Naruto only blinked "…Nooo I meant sa-" "Oh look! The little tadpole wants in on my group!" sai…oh sai what is _in_ your head? "….ummm saskura." Naruto pleaded to Iruka, while Gaara just stood there in his purple combats. "S-A-K-E-R-A! SAKURA PLEAASE?" "DUMBASS! THAT'S NOT HOW YOU SPELL MY NAME!" from half way across the room, yelled Sakura. "…Well of course not sakura-chaaan! That's spelled… M-Y-N-A…..uh….ME!" oh no.. no no no. but kakashi just casually strolled over and squatted down to eye level with the teen Naruto. With a devious smile and a cock of the head. "NO!" J Naruto looked pissed off, but just stood there fuming, clad in converse. Gaara grimaced, clad in combats.

"What's this thing even foooor?" Shikamaru whined. He had just stolen the words right from Gaara's already parted lips. "I was getting to that. Now," Iruka yanked the clipboard back from Kakashi. "I have put you all together in groups today. Because…." at this point naruto was wishing Iruka would cut his usual dramatic acts and just give them the facts.

But I guess this time, it called for drama.

"WERE GOING ON A FIELDTRIP KIDS!"

"Kakashi! I was going to say that!"

Apparantly Kakashi had beat him to it, cutting out all the drama? ! At this point the argument was cut off by the Crowd's loud cheers, and random acts of happiness. They even applauded. Naruto's eyes went wide. Not as wide as back in the road though. Never. He started yelling at maximum volume. Stomping around wildly like a mad man.

He. Was. Pissed.

"WHAT KINDA CRAP IS THIS? YOU GOTTA BE SHITTIN ME! THE ONE DAY WE GET SOME KIND OF DAY OFF! AND I HAVE TO GO WITH _HIM_! SAKURA! SAKUUUURAAAA!"

Well…most of the class was cheering. Haha. Naruto wasn't (of course) sasuke was kind of tuned out. And Gaara. Well. What can I say? I mean he's not really psyched about much in the first place. And now he has to be paired with that naruto-boy. And listen to his sakura _rants._

"But Class, we won't be just slacking off! We're going to do many a scholarly things aswell at the island!" The mention of an island only hyped up the crowd, except of course our trio of sasuke Gaara and Naruto. "Now Irukun! I thought we agreed to keep the mention of prison Island a secret 'till later!" all motion and sound drained to a stop. "PRISON? _PRISON? _I-I CAN'T GO THERE! NOT AGAIN!" sai was yelling. Oh poor sai…what was wrong with him? Kakashi looked at Iruka and they bothe started cracking up. "OH YOU BUGS WILL believe anything!" yelled kakashi. Sai sat back down "humph…" " "The island is named Kokoroai island, or Koko for short!" Iruka passes out the papers. Gaara's eyes lit up from where he stood. The informational papers were yellow with an in-color breathtaking view of the island, Koko. But even more so breathtaking was a little wooden cabin perched right in the center of a shallow sea.

Right in the middle of it!

A beeping noise went off in the distance and kakashi sat at Iruka's desk behind a computer. "Kakashi-kun, you did finish it right?" "Why of course, Irukun! What kind of a delaying, late bastard would do such a thing? heheh" Iruka chuckled "IIII….have a pretty good idea" he stood up and pulled down a cover over the chalkboard. Kakashi clicked the mouse at the desk.

"I guess we should post attendance now that the network is up, irukun" "after the presentation, Kakashi. Now, run it!" kakashi did as ordered. A picture of an island appeared on the canvas-like sheet over the chalkboard.

"IS THAT THE ISLAND?"

Someone yelled.

"yes, yes I was about to explain that. It's Koko island! it's about a two hour drive from here, and then some no a boat. Haha not too far!" The picture flicked to one of a grassy, over-grown area with some sort of pile of shrewdly cut logs in the center. "yes erm…well. Hehe this here is one of the cabins at Koko island." Iruka tried to point it out but all the grass was in the way. Ew. IT'S CALLED A LAWN MOWER.

" IS THAT SHIT WHAT WE'RE STAYING IN?" that same someone yelled.

"Nooo…fortunately for all of you, this is the lunch hall…erm make sure not to eat the grass. Haha!" the picture changed once again.

*GASP*

"_These_ will be your cabins"

In a brightly lit forest, light bounced off all the rubbery leaves of exotic plants. A bridge was roped from one tree to another, the left had these spiraling stairs carved right around the tree. This lead to the bridge high in the canopies, which lead to the tree on the right. Hanging form the right tree was a large, wooden, sphere. It had windows?

"This is moth cabin!" someone raised a hand. "yes, it's a wooden sphere. Ahaha but it has windows…furniture. It's fully functional as a cabin. Sure, it may swing in the wind, but that's a small defect. Iruka signaled to Kakashi which lead to the picture on the screen changing. It was a huge flower.

"Eh?" "Whu?" " A flower?"

The crowd was obviously baffled. "Oh yes, it may _resemble _a flower in every which way. But a closer look reveals otherwise! Kakashi-kun, if you will" he nodded. A close up of the flower's stem appeared.

"As you can now see, the so called 'flower' is made up of metal, it's another cabin. Small pieces of metal connected into a tube-like structure. Kakashi changed the picture to the flower bud's close up. A magenta-violet sky encased red-painted metal petals. In the middle was a see through dome. A bubble rising up against the cotton candy sky.

"It's called Bubble cabin. What were you expecting? Roose cabin? "

"that's original" joked kakashi. The picture fizzled out into a familiar one.

"Yes, it's the one on your slips!" some people awed at the picture. "A cozy little cabin in the middle of the sea" wow, what more could you ask for? It was a small cabin supported by metal beams protruding from the seabed. Below you could clearly see all the starfish and rainbow colored shells just sitting there, waiting to be someone's picked momento.

"it's shallow. There's a little glass room where you can gaze at exotic species through the walls. Atleast, that's what I hear!" Almost the whole class seemed to react to this, one person raised their hand. "No Hinata, You don't have to tredge through water to get there" kakashi replied from the desk. "Although it's close enough to the shore-" "and shallow enough" added Iruka. "There's a small self-start ferry that'll take you there. Only takes about 3 minutes I think."

"What's it called again Irukun?"

"grr…it's name is Maroon cabin" Hinata raised her hand yet again. "Hold no love," kakashi addressed Hinata, "why is it called Maroon cabin, Irukun? It's obviously not red in color." "No, it's the other maroon." Kakashi blinked "as in maroon ye ship mateys? Argh?" "if your refering to pirate lingo then yes. It means to jump off your ship into the waters." "And the cabin is in the middle of the ocean…humph" Everyone in the crowd looked nervous. Even emotionless shino looked a little hot under the collar of his Army Jacket. Gaara and sasuke sat idly though. Hinata slowly retreated her hand and the next picture materialized.

People Squealed.

A stair of keys lead up to a huge ebony piano with a marching band drum under it's massive wood body. "a stair of piano keys, yes. And rumors are it _does_ work!" Kakashi switched to a zoomed in pic of that cabin.

The left part had the a few keys normally in place but then they started to pour out of it onto the floor like stairs on the floor. The right part whatsoever was just a big, glass door!

"The whole building's architecture is based as on a piano with the keys rolling out of it. The drum works as a trampoline too." kakashi butted in "Just make sure no one's inside when you play it or their ear-drums might burst hehe" "Oh ha freaking ha! Kakashi-kun Eaaaaar drums!" kakashi shoko his head and smiled oddly. "not…what I meant." he replied. "the floor mats are working DJ-pads, the chandelier acts as a mic, and see these bolts?" Iruka pointed to giant nuts and bolts sticking out the left side of the piano "not bolts, irukun. Guitar knobs. To tune it you know?" "I was just getting to that kakashi! Thank you for stealing my speech!" Kakashi smiled and nodded. 'and the strings?" asked kakashi. "somewhere inside, I suppose" stated iruka. Naruto was fazed , but soon blinked and snapped out of it. He looked around to find that no one had bothered to sit down. They were all just standing there still by their alleged 'groups'. He looked for sakura and spotted her… looming over sasuke, who was staring right back at Naruto.

"GACK!"

Naruto quickly looked down. ' Hmm…my shoes are quite charming actually'

Thought Naruto. "Hmmm" he squinted. 'wait…THAT'S not what I put on this morning' he traced the shoes up to the wearer. It was not Naruto himself but Gaara, clad in broken skinny-jeans, a black-white shirt and the ever-so "charming" purple combat boots. He was just staring. Gaara, I mean. A transfixed gaze set directly on the musical house. Naruto studied the red-maned boy. Gaara's nose twitched. He suddenly spun his head to meet Naruto's too-close stare. The hairs on the nape of Naruto's neck shot up like a dog's. Naruto retreated to look back down at his shoes. Naruto automatically jerked back to staring at _his_ own shoes. Not Gaara's.

Gaara leaned in a little. Naruto could tell he was being examined. The judgemental kind of examine. Gaara just cocked his head to the side like a cat's and snapped back into his place, looking at the moniter. Naruto stole one last glance at the red-headed, bed-headed, boy. Then slowly dredged his vision away from Gaara and then back up to the moniter.


	5. Just Changed

::NARUTO::J

What was with that kid? What was…_Gaara_ thinking? Eh Gaara? Well he had nice shoes, I'll grant him that. "..nice shoes" Oh my god, did that just slip out? I risked taking a fleeting view of Gaara….he was. Just fine. Still marveling over whatever the hell was on that monitor. The purple in his shoes were really a nice tou….touch. "NGH!" I squealed trying to muffle it. The hair on the nape of my neck once again flew up. Some-s,something was crawling down my neck! D,down my back! I just stood stiff.

SPIDER? ANT? B-BLOOD? A FUZZ? (wow that killed the dramatic possibilities)

I instinctively patted my back…"nothing" I soliloquized. Gaara gave me an inquisitive and slightly annoyed look from the corner of his eye. I decided just to start listening to Iruka again. I've droned out enough of it, I might've missed vital info. Like which one **IM** getting.

A new picture had come up.

Sakuras! Sakura trees everywhere! Cherry trees and their white blossoms! White, soft and plumy. Beautifully enticing pink and white blossoms everywhere. Straight rows of sakura trees surrounded a wavering, stone path. A crystal-clear koi pond stood in front of a black, wooden Japanese-styled house. The interesting thing is, it was built to smoothly blend into the hill it was set into. Just the same height and width as this hill.

The whole crowd was whispering. Yes the place was stunning, but personally I liked the last one better. The er…musical one? It'd be like a bigger (not necessarily better) recording studio. The one at my place, was the best I've seen though. Recording music in my studio was one of my hobbies….writing…believe it or not sometimes seemed to keep me alive.

More than ONE THOUSAND DOLLAR$ had gone into that studio, and my guitar of course. My Saturday job, my gigs, odd jobs, and eBay got me that much and more. ;D

"Any one got any questions?"

Inquired kakashi.

Noticing I had missed his speech again, I blurted out. "What's it called?"

"Magenta cabin" iruka hissed. "irukun…why do you pronounce magenta, _Ma-sh-ie-nta_?" "Ugh… Kakashi just change it please?" He rose his chin up and whispered "what, from the _Ma-sh-ie-nta _bunker? Heheh" Loud enough for iruka to hear.

The next place was very hypnotic.

Foggy, but beautiful. A waterfall was pouring down. Rainbows of light cluttering the photo. A zoomed in picture revealed that a narrow path lead up to a cave in the rock.

Behind the fall. A squat little house was built into a dent in the rock.

"…it's pretty high up, but stairs are cleverly carved in for…_easier_ access. Hahaha!"

"The good, it's beautiful and out of the way. The bad, it's loud. The ugly, it's rock hard. Hahaha!" Kakashi said this while giving off a vibrant smile. "oh be quiet kakashi, November cabin is quite stunning!" "…and would it be named after November because of…this? *click!*"

A radiant, just purely radiant picture shone through the monitor. Everyone seemed to stare longingly at it.

The water was completely frozen. Completely glaciated. Icy cold, but colorful rainbows of light bounced off the glassy ice.

You could see right through it, at the disfigured image of November cabin.

"Why…why yes, kakashi-kun… the stunning imagery is frozen in November…" I stole a glance at Gaara. Only for a split second for I was afraid to meet his icy glare. Maybe just as icy as the frozen scenic photo of the cabin. Except without the rainbow. But I could've sworn, for just the split second I looked at him…that he was mouthing something. Some words. A song? Was he talking to himself?

J::Gaara::


	6. Into another whole list

::Gaara::

Iruka started, "The stunning imagery seen here…." my mind just trailed afterwords. The stunning what? Meh. I'll finish it. I _know_I have better words to put to use anyways. "The stunning imagery seen here of a flowing drown-house is stilled to a frame. A snapshot moment.

**November takes it's captive**."

Hmm. That last line could work in a poem… or when I compose I'll keep it in mind…next time I write. "Here's the very last cabin!" Kakashi switched the pic. "IT'S A HOLE? IM STAYING IN A HOLE?"

The boy next to me, this naruto-boy with the big mouth, was very…very loud. Irate. "No, No! Hahah! That's just the entrance!" Kakashi showed a picture of the inside of the 'hole'. …there's. . . a plushy bed at the bottom. Curious.

"The inside is FULLY furnished! I think there are stairs to climb down , but just in case the staff were smart enough to install a bed right under it. Haha!" yelled Iruka. "The bad part is any thing could crawl in there at night. Better pack some Cutter kids!" Kakashi gloated with his 'humerous' remarks. Iruka shot a look at Kakashi, but he just winked. "Haha!" kakashi sure did have…_confidence. _If not a tad overly **cocky**, I take note. This place seemed interesting. This hole. What I urge to know is…

"**Do we get to pick our rooms Iruka-sensei?"** The naruto-boy next to me cocked his head and asked.

…That's the second time someone has stolen what I planned to ask. Well. Lesson learned. **Act quick."**We'll Get to that Naruto!" Iruka scolded. "This place is…eh Comatose cabin? Is it?" Kakashi asked with a look of "I have no idea" smeared across his face. "Yes, and before you ask…" Iruka also had a similar look played across his face. I would call it confused, almost. "I myself don't know why they chose to name it this. Hmph. Funny name. Oh well. Nice bunker and all_**. NEXT! **_oh…wait" Kakashi nodded. "Well kakashi, you can just skip that one. Since they don't actually need to see- "WHERE WE'RE STAYING! …aah yesss." Click. A humongous castle appeared atop a hill. Shrouded by foggy clouds of mist. "Heheh. We reserved the biggest one!" Kakashi gloated. Iruka dignifying face-palmed. Most everyone's eyes drained white. They were angry, it seemed. Hm. Complaining yes.

"NO FAIR!"

"THAT'S HUUUGE!"

"ITS _JUST_ TWO PEOPLE!"

"NOW CLASS! CLAAAASS quiet DOWN! Class be Reasonable!" the noise continued, unheard by Iruka's pleas. Hah as if they _would_ listen to him. I looked around….Even Sasuke looked a little ticked off. Maybe just from that pink, annoying girl though.

This boy next to me, this…_Naruto_-boy. He was almost as bad. Yelling and snarling Like a lion… No he actually quite reminded me of some fox. An orange one no doubt.

Someone raised…Him. He raised a hand that fox. Ugh So many questions. I wonder if he'll be this inquisitive on the trip. I almost shuddered at that thought. No! Not how _curious_ he'd be while there….. Just that he'll BE there. Ugh….If anything at all couldn't I just go solo? Anything more would and IS **just. Dead. Weight**. And if it's not dead…better hope it doesn't get in my claws. It'd be pulling me down, all useless.

"_Well, you haven't given him half a chance to prove himself_."

"What?" I hissed. Oh..did I just say that aloud?

"_You know nothing of the boy_!" what? Oh wait. It's my own mind…or something in it was telling me what to do. Great. Just dandy. I know enough to ascertain that he's not good for me. "_Ok. And what are the reasons of which your so assured of_?" "hmm….well first of, he's annoying… obnoxious. Of course, he's a person. That's a flaw. but that's inevitable. He's of another social group than me. By far. If I can be considered _social. _see? Incompatible!" I thought back. _"….are you familiar with the term 'stereotyping?' _" "Grr! Stereotyping? don't acuuuuuse me of stereotyping! Just because Id rather not work in a group…or with an imbecile does not imply stereotyping!" "_yes it does. It's the equivalent of him, LOOKING at you and responding 'ugh get me away from this kid, he's so emo' it's called stereotyping_." "Grrr….well I!. . . fine, if he thinks I'm … 'emo'… then he doesn't have to work with me." "_Haha…HAHAHAH!_" the voice laughed. "what's so funny?… I don't find the hilarity in this issue." "_Haha! You can't blame this on _him_! He hasn't…say, __stereotyped__." "_yet." I thought. "…yet" "_Haha! In FACT_!" It hissed. "_the naruto-boy even had the nerve to compliment you're shoes_!" "so…that's what he said? I only thought I had heard that." "_nope. He murmered it, but he said it. Yes….Anything to saaaaaay? At all? Well?" _"well what? Does that entitle me to have the need of giving him a compliment back somehow?"

"…_ha! No, actually doing so is considered rude. But since you brought it uuuup. Mehehe. Do you see anything you'd wear? You like?" "_meh…' I slowly craned my neck …. Towards the naruto-boy. I leaned in to study him and his outfit. "hmm…. He has nice shoes. Converse. The original. Impressive. I have a pair myself" they were black and orange though, his. I had myself a ruby type colored pair.

'ngh…decent pants. Skinnies. Does his sister pick them out too?" the voice laughed slightly. "_you __love__ those skinnies and you KNOW it!" _"Ngh! Ththese pants Barely FIT! It's ripped cuz it's so tight! And G- "_Your _Fond_ of the rips_…" it cackled_. _If voiced in Gaara's head had faces, this one would look smug, almost mischievous….but after Gaara had done dismantling it's face structure. Ha!

"And that's why we need this big a cabin. Any questions?" I didn't have to look to know that the Naruto-boy had raised a hand.

"WHY do you need it?"

Iruka looked like he was about to implode. That would be somewhat entertaining actually. Kakashi just stared blankly. I slowly, ever so slowly crawled my hand up in to the air. It's true , I rarely have questions.


	7. Of Possibilities

:Gaara:

"How long…will we be staying at the island?" my low, smooth voice echoed in the suddenly-quiet room. "well, it's all in the paper. Only 2 weeks!" The whole class burst.

"TWO WEEKS?"

Shyeah, _only_, he says. I rolled my eyes accordingly.

Well some burst into tears. Others burst into joy. "SASUKE! OH SASUKE! IMAGINE! TWO WHOLE-" blah…blah blah… oh the utter fail of it is just hurting me. "I HAVE TO SPEND TWO ENTIRE WEEKS WITH HIM? WITHOUT….SAKURRRAAAA!"

Ugh this blonde naruto-boy was just tearing up my nerve. I have to spend the same amount of time with ugh…_him_. You don't hear me complaining. I had the urge to just…WHIP OUT my pod! "_sorry? Don't you mean __I-__pod?_" 'eh, shuddup voices! I call it my _pod_.' "_er…yes… interesting_"

To my _utter _and _complete amaaaaazement_… the naruto-boy managed to raise his hand yet again.

"BEFORE you ask any more questions" Kakashi said looking directly at the kid. He kept his hand up. Peh. Kakashi went on, "All the info you need is there in that sheet. We leave Friday, it's 2 weeks at camp Spring in Koko island. COMPLETELY expense paid, though you might wanna bring some spending money haha." kakashi looked over at Iruka with a sly smile. Iruka made a double take in flustered confusion… what? That was very… em odd. Iruka finished kakashi's explanation. "Pack a week's worth of clothe, there are washers, dryers, showers, furniture, TV, anything you'd need for basic living J" Naruto's hand once again waved fiercely in the air.

"Will there be- " No, No ramen"

His hand and spirits obviously fell. Hard.

"Any VALID. Non ramen. Non sakura. Screw it Non Naruto! Questions! Any? No?" "haha Alright! The fun par!" kakashi was planning something devious, but what?

Kakashi dug around under the computer desk for a bit… only to pull out a top-hat. Yes how undeniably obvious! How could I not have seen! "_Hahaha, you'r a sarcastic one!_" Great. Then he' dressing Lincoln now. "Now if everyone can write their team names on a amsll piece of paper you can go ahead and hand that to kakashi" No one moved.

Small paper. Small paper…. I dug in my pack for paper.

Still no one moved, until Kakashi growled. Now no one dared stay still. I had a head start so I slowly took my sweet, sweet time. Wait. Where's my pen? Pencils? Broken! Out of ink!…. Gr…great…just "_calm down there Schwarzenegger" _'ok ill pretend that made sense to me' wait… what's that smell?

I froze up. Petrified. Stiff and straight-backed. I sniffed by twitching my nose. And slid my eyes over to… him.

"_Well. Looks like I was right. Prejudging __is__ bad" _

'what the hell are you talking about?' I snarled in my mind!

"well!" wait… that wasn't the same voice from my head

_.._ oh that was this _Naruto-boy_. "well . What?" he was leaning over the desk, looming above the piece of paper. I looked at whatever he was hovering above. Oh? A pen. When did…I find a working… Orange? Pen? "are you gonna use it or just stare at it?" I scurrily scribbled out our team name… wait.

_Dilemma._

I rapped on the table with the orange pen. Impatiently, if not fully annoyed. "What? Your actually gonna make me do it?" No no no! Shut up! Your so annoying!

"We don't _have _a t…team name." what the sugar honey iced tea! Stuttering is not becoming of someone like me. _"neither is swearing '__sugar honey iced tea'" _ "if you don't be silent! I might just deem you as obnoxious as that Boy." the voice chuckled but then said nothing else.

"5 MORE MINUTES CLASS! ITS _JUST _A PAPER!"

Naruto went blank. Blank as the paper here. Weeell, maybe a little blanker, but that might be giving him too much credit. Haha.

"Anything?" I asked.

*siiiigh* I whipped out my pod. Plugged in my retro-styled, new wave headphones. No! not the cheap little white ear buds that come with it! No, mine were genuinely customized set of headphones with retractable sizes. Logos were printed all over the red set.

Panic at the disco, Avenged sevenfold, Bring me the horizon, Never shout never, etc. etc. and that's only naming a few. And from all the music I listen to, that wasn't even a grain of it.

My pod read.

Breaking the habit

Linkin Park

Egh next.

Break away

Tokio Hotel

*shuffle*

Breaking

Anberlin

… was my pod trying to tell me something?


	8. And now with another day

::Gaara:

I snathed the pen and paper. There was already something…written on it? Lemmee see.

B.R.E.A. Ok all good! Break! Wait…no! B.R.E.A…..T.H.E? I snarled and looked over to that Naruto-boy. "what's this?" I asked him. "well…I was just thinking o-

"ALRIGHT CLASS! TURN IN YO PAPERS , NAO!"

I snatched up the paper, waiting for NO explanation of _his. _You know I don't actually care about the name, but he could at least confirm with me about what our team name would be. I dropped the paper in the big hat, stuffing the pen in my pack. Kakashi shook it around somewhat.

"Now, to pick where you'll be STAYING!"

"The Mothball cabin is first, and the lucky winners of it aaaaaare… Team… Meatloaf… whoooo…."

Wow. What vivid enthusiasm. I'm soooooo jealous.

"yaaaaaay, we get a rocking house, complete with falling hazards. Sigh" shikamaru did have a point. But this only applied in strong winds, which I don't think an island would really get. Yet it looked unstable that cabin, if it could really be CALLED a cabin.

"The bubble cabin goes to… Err.. Aha! *snicker* team ridiculous! Or , sasuke's haha" kakashi said snickering. Sakura beamed brightly . What the hell? How can her mouth expand from ear to ear at that degree?

"We're staying in a flower sasuke! How wonderful! Isn't that….romaaaaantic?" Sakura rolled his eyes. Ha! Mistake, Sakura went for his hand while he wasn't looking. Too bad Sasuke is so…swift. He jerked it away, leaving sakura, to fall. hmm.

Kakashi tossed his hand around in the hat for a while.

"Magenta cabin is… Team youth." kakashi's one eye seemed to show disgust if not just completely repelled by that name. Lee dashed forward, saluting Kakashi and launching into yet another _'respectable' _speech. It was idiotic, and frankly boring. Atleast I had my music to drown out most.

"Well yes, er good job lee. Comatose cabin!" kakashi dug around in the hat. "Comatose goes to-" a hand shot up like a bullet. "is that the hole?" "*siigh* yes, sakura it's the hole but you know it's not really an actual hole." iruka answered "oh oh! Can you give the hole to Ino? Pleeeeease?" this girl is just not complacent with being in a group with the Uchiha, like she asked for. She also doesn't have any, annoying people. No, that's a lie. She herself is unbeknownst to it, but _she_ is the obnoxious factor. "Whoever gets it, gets it! …crazy team up front." kankuro trudged up, while sai and matsuri happily skipped up front.

"yeah…. As I said. Comatose Cabin."

Kakashi tossed his hand around in the hat for a while.

"Ah! Odd team gets Maroon Cabin!" Ino giddily Strutted up to sakura. To gloat no doubt about it. "Hmph! I get to live in the middle of the seeaaa! The center of vast attention!" "wait wait woah! NO ONE mentioned the so called 'center of attention', INO PIG!" the pink haired one stuck her tongue out… this was an act meant to infuriate right? "_yap it sure is_" the voice said. I was not asking you, It was rhetorical. "Either way, who are you gonna SHARE it with HM? Cuz I'm the one with SASUKE-KUUUN!" Sakura once again tried to cling to the Uchiha bu he ducked sending her, _once again_, toppling to the floor. Hm. Does she not understand? No. If she was smart, she'd know better than to outwardly attempt that kind of physical contact. Or anything at all.

"BAHAHAHAHAH!1 XD" Ino started to laugh maniacally at The pink hair's temporary defeat.

"Calm down kids we got a couple more!" Iruka said as kakashi tipped over the hat ; one lonely paper fluttered out. "No, just one." Kakashi corrected Iruka. The naruto-boy turned around, "that's me…" I whispered.

"Hey, it's not just you!" the blonde complained. "unfortunately" the words barely grazed an audible tone "what?" the blonde asked. Turning to face him with a blank, non-reflective glare I kept quiet. Hoping he'd get the message. But not expecting it.

"So We'll be staying in the waterfall one right?" he whispered back. Ugh this naruto-boy just kept beaming openly. "_Or_ the piano" I snapped back quietly. "Oh. Yeah! Hey this means there must be an extr-"

"The eh Breath Team? Gets Cancion cabin."

"what? Which ones that!" Had he not payed any attention while they were explaining?

"_when this cabin was explained he was complimenting your shoes." _"oh shut up! He didn't even direct it towards me… he whispered it on accident. It slipped…" _"maybe he was afraid of the outcome if he said it directly at you?_" the voice suggested. "no, im fully sure that he could've said this without attracting a teacher's attention." I thought, rolling my eyes. "_no! not fear of the teachers, not even the students….just you."_ I kept my head, looking straight ahead…but at this comment I narrowed my eyes.

"Naruto, Gaara, the Cancion cabin is the piaaaano" why was he talking to us as if we were infants? Maybe he figured Bothe of us were retards. That assumption is only half correct. _"you don't him. So basically, you as well are making assumptions."_ the voice intervened.

"Well, children! Looks like it's about time to go! So go home! Get that signed and GET. READY!"

Kakashi dismissed us.

I threw my stuff in my bag, and rapidly paced out the classroom door, sign slip in hand.

I once again whipped out my pod but something landed on my shoulder. A hand! My defensive wall of sand was ready to strike. It was an everlasting precautionary system. A system that both, _protected_, and _sealed me _away from the rest of the world. I snapped back towards the menace. Naruto-boy. "Gaara, your sister, Temari wasn't here today was she?" oh…it's Iruka. "No. Doctor appointment" I explained, in as little words as possible. "Well, we'll just have to sort that out tomorrow. Fill her in on the details can you?" my sand barrier had backed down by now… I could've sworn… "I-" he had left. Leaving me stranded in a school of empty, isolated halls. Papers fluttering about like tumbleweeds on a desert of death. Only difference, this was a school. A learning facility. Was the same danger applied here? No. Different dangers, but peril all alike. If not physically but mentally. "mn…" I shooked the thoughts off my head and simply threw on my headphones and walked. "Run away try to find that safe place you can hide. It's the best place to be when your feeling like." Me. That's one of my songs. "ME ME YEAH YEAH! ALL THESE THINGS I HATE REVOLVE AROUND ME! ME!YEAH YEAH!" it was something I wrote_ A long time ago. As I walked out of the school I could swear that was the naruto-boy coming. Back there when it was iruka. "JUST BACK UP BEFORE I SNAP!" the song continued just like I did, on towards a little blossoming tree. I sat cross-legged under it's feeble shade and took out a piece of paper and a pen and started.

"Torn apart at the seams, and my dreams turn to tears. Im not feeling this si-tu-a-tion. Run away try to hide that safe place you can hide, it's the best place to be when you're feeling like me. (it's the best place to be when your feeling like!)" the song screamed now sweetly bitter screams. No wait, I had written the lyrics down. Ngh. "concentrate" I said aloud. Crumpling up the old one I flung it backwards. I started on a new one.

"Dear Kankuro," with my most formal cursive, I contemplated….tapping the edge of the pen to my mouth. "I realize that your sister, Temari was not in today. This may cause problems if she is not informed about the trip. I would appreciate it if you explained to her the details of this trip.

Sincerely, Iruka-sensei." the song ended. As a new one started up. "This should do." I folded the note up into a symmetrical square. I tapped the pen once again to my lips, loking at the work and making sure it looked… professional enough. "orange?" The pen was ORANGE! _I_ never carried orange pens… "oh" it was the naruto-boy's. I packed everything up and decided to return the wretchedly colored thing tomorrow. I had almost signed the paper, _Irukun. _something was peculiar with kakashi. "apart from the nickname of 'irukun'?" *sigh* yes, apart from that. I have the odd sensation… just that he's up to something. I can't quite point it out. But…. I threw my head back and flicked my bangs off my eyes as I got up and headed home.

"WAUGH!" something squealed on impact and I was knocked back. M-my defenses! The sand lightly cushioned a fall that might have wrecked havoc upon my already frail body. "Ngh!"

"G-gaara?" I looked up from my floating bed of protective sand. "What the hell are you still doing here?" he didn't seem angered, just surprised. In fact… he was beaming.

And who's to say, I myself wasn't seething with rage? _" your not. Who are you kidding_?" the voice interrupted. I started to complain. Hadn't I told him not to intrude?

"I thought I told you to-" "be careful?" he finished. The sand fell limply leaving me to fall the rest of the way. Which was only about a foot. "MPH!" Naruto. This kid just didn't know boundaries did he? Wait. My ipod! Wh-where'd it fall? If it broke! Oooh if it broke this boy will be scarred for the rest of his life! I didn't say this, but I said something just as good. Venom almost snaked out through my lips as I hissed.

"Where'ssss MY POD?" I sat up and my fists automatically clenched into fists. I knew I had given him a glassy-eyed murderous stare. " Woah! C-calm down! Here ! I'll look for it! He chucked something small and metallic, but I caught it as I was…meant…to? This. Is an _older _version of _my _pod. My sand barrier swirled down into the ground and I hunched over this small object, letting my hair fall over my face. Why did I miss this? I couldn't see these…

"these…are headphones?" oh god, I have to learn to control my soliloquies. I checked to see if he had heard my silent monologue. "mm?" naruto's head popped up out of some bushes. He blinked. And shrugged it off to continue the search.

The were some sort of… half cylinder. Like with padding on the inside, that … that was normal. But… this retractable clippy thing. Is that a microphone? Or an earbud? Antenna? This antenna thing I had retracted out of it's snug pocket by curiously playing with it.

"_you look like a child with a toy, sitting in the middle of a field… just playing with that_" I dropped the headphones and jerked my head up. "I…" wait. That wasn't the naruto-boy.

"_no, that was me, silly_." the voice replied. I rolled my eyes and dismissed it and continued to explore this vast expanse of technology.

…

"THIS IT?"

I found myself for the second time today, catching an airborne piece of musical mechanics.

But this one was far more important. This was so because it wasn't just any ipod. This. Was MY ipod. It's filled with much more than anything I've ever seen.

". why do you seem bound to ramming into me?" "well you coulve helped look. And not just sit there… playing with my ipod?"

He gave me a glance of pure misunderstanding. As if trying to decipher, with all the smarts he had, (which was so very little) what in the world I was doing messing with it. Was he as protective of it as I was? No. I seriously and undeniably DOUBTED that.

He Blinked. But then beamed a close-eyed smile. He scratched the back of his head. "oh! You caught her!" "her?" I questioned. "oh I um. Mean IT! Yah you caught… _it_ ! My ipod I mean!" He seemed almost in _pain_, calling her an it. Ha.

"Yeah…and these headphones? Are they?-" "their handmade" he cut me off. ".Oh?" I meant it more of a statement than a question.. But I guess I was just curious of the interesting structure of it. I had not seen anything of the likes. How would such a half circle manage to stay on one's ears?

"well that's…." I had not thought of a word to finish that sentence. And I didn't see the point in doing so. A sudden compromise might end wrong. No I couldn't really care if I had said "well that's terrible" or "well that's amazing" after all, they belonged to…the _Naruto-boy. _

I Had never thought of all those intricate little pieces. All those miniaturized nuts and bolts fitting snugly together to form a correctly working, (and I'd prefer well working) headphones. It was intriguing but at the same time revolting to think of all the work one might've put into these.

"What? Are you gonna finish that sentence?" the boy beamed once again his close-eyed smile. I just straightened up my posture and shook my head no. but answered "seldom seen… it's. . . exquisite as far as headphones go. But. Would you mind explaining them?" he stared at me. Wide eyed…. It reminded me of when I bumped into him before school. His eyes were shaded by the trees, casting elaborate shadows upon his everly-clueless face. "*sigh* Im-" "ALRIGHT! :D Well you see, the inside is a leathery ear cushion, it muffles out about 88% of other sounds." hmm mine cancels out about 90. But I guess handmade comes with circumstances.

"Look, this inside helps hold on to your ears, the half cylinder shape just looks kick-ass haha!" He took the headphones from my hands as he plopped down ungracefully next to me. "see?" he pointed to a little clip on the inside that would hold on to your ears if put on. I blinked.

"whats the…" I actually don't _know _what it is.

"oh this button down here is an auto-stop! And if you push it again, it resumes right here you left it!" I leaned in, examining it closely . And he threw the pod and headphones right at me. Catching me off-guard, I fumbled to grab them! "NGH!" my hands trembled about and sent them (for the third time) airborne! I sent the sand to smoothly recover them though. My hand guided the sand and _her _back into my hand.

I waved it in the air questioningly. "TRY THEM!" :D he almost yelled! The excess of enthusiasm is a bit sickening, isn't it voice? Voice? *sigh* I shook my head at the irony. He intrudes at the wrong time and does quite the opposite when I want an answer.

Surrendering, I locked the handmade beauty in place. Well, either way reticence is a habit I tend to keep so I most likely won't give too much feedback. In the middle of the field, I closed my eyes as the song started with a serene piano. Ok… good, piano's constantly good… but only a few seconds of quiet before the storm, as an upbeat started up the lyrics. An electric resonated a rhythmic tab.

"Last call for regrets and deceive To finish the bottle full of empty dreams,"

"hmm I like that last line"

"Punch-drunk headed straight out of line. Another excuse with no alibi. Hitching on the road of decline

With no name streets and no vital signs.

I pissed away the best of me and. No one can

HELP ME!"

The drums died and made room for the guitar solo. And then came the thick and hard. The chorus, as I was guessing.

"MISERY'S BEST FRIEND

CAN'T BE A DEAD END

A BAG FULL OF REGRETS AND I'M COMING CLEAN!

SELF ELECT RESIDENT REJECT

A BAD HABIT, DON'T FORGET IT YOU BETTER! COUNT YOUR LAST BLESSINGS I FELL OF THE WAGON. I'M CHASING SIX FEET.

AND NOW I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME"

The singer's voice was rigorous and ruthless, ringing in my ears; the next minute turned tender and empathetic. A broad variety of moods and tones, while gratifying an immense vocal range. It was stellar.

Almost as lustrous as the piano that kept an underlying set of keys throughout the rough of the song, as I diligently noticed.

It also ended the song appropriately just as it had started. Implying this outburst of emotions never happened? I'd never know, as I'd have to ask.

I lifted my eyes and returned the headphones.

as soon as I (unbeknownst that he was not directly next to me) offered the headphones back, I noticed he had gone. I wore a jaded look. Glassy, non-reflective, as always. Had he gone? A shame he would leave _her. _Almost an insult as I myself would never attempt such a thing. I looked up.

The naruto-boy was talking to himself ….and pacing in circles. When did he get up? "Hello?" I interrupted his self-conversation,

"eh… oh! See? I bet you didn't here me talking through any of it! Well!" he had… a … conspicuous tone to voice and glint in his eye. What could he possibly want me to respond? Everyone want to hear that 'it's good' but what if didn't think so?

"_just tell him bout the song" _

Ever is there a time you can't just stay silent? "alright… well, unless you were singing about 'blessings', 'misery's best friend', or 'running out of time', then no, I had not heard you." the color drained out of the Naruto-boy's face, as he stopped circling dead in his tracks. What? He acted like someone had just shot a bullet through his heart. The gleam of his eye forsakened him when his hair tussled over those eyes.

"what…" the gleeful tone of his voice had also abandoned him.

"w-wasn't it about, 'civil wars', 'suddenly alive', and 'world feels revived?'" he stood frazzled and …I would almost say slight irate. "no. I'm pretty sure the song I heard was much more…ruthless than that." he stood blinking…a little less angered and now just plain flustered. " Maybe it shuffled… when you threw it at me?" I offered. The boy's shoulders slumped downward in realization "oooh!" he face palmed…. And must have looked at his watch in the process because then he replied.

"oh! Well yeah! Um I have to go now, er nice talking." he beamed his close-eyed smile a little differently this time, while getting on a bike I had not seen before. "See you tomorrow I suppose?" he snatched back his ipod. What? What? Did he _intend _to infuriate me?

Despite it all, I. I needed the name of that beautiful stanza. The band name?

"Wait!" I called out. He was a long distance away now, too far. Out of earshot… I didn't yell, I just barely spoke it. I sat back down. "what was that song?" I said aloud. Hm. Something was odd about that sort of behavior. Maybe he was late for something? Wait. "he _had_ not watch." I realized.

… as I walked home, I dismissed the thought…. Almost.


	9. The world changes colors

Hey peeps! :DDD before you sues meh fer saying that these songs are blah blah blah! And etc. etc. it's really not, by this fictional band! Lol, the real bands are at ze bottom! I suggest you listen teh them while reading! :D And with that, I hope you enjoy this chappie! You better! :D

::Naruto::

Lying on this bed wasn't the most entertaining. But it _was _the most familiar.

Staring at this ceiling…. Counting the eternal holes, scratches, and stains. Wasn't the most inspiring.

But it certainly wasn't vague either. At least in sense of memory.

Bouncing this ball mindlessly numb against the ceiling and back, while doing all the above. That was entertaining.

To a _point_. Now though, was it was kind of jaded. Weary. Bored. Tired whatevs.

But of course, no HW meant free time! …. Meant boredom. L

"ouch!" the ball hit my face…. :O why didn't I just catch it? Pft, I don't know. I closed my eyes. So bored. So jaded. Fatigue. "faaa….tigue." I whispered the word into thin air. I rolled over and fetched _her._

I Plugged the headphones in and randomly selected a song, with eyes still shut. Any song, just a good one. "heh, all the songs _on_ here are good ones. Haha." The shuffle noise went off and the band April Appall came on. I loved this band. I mean not like it was my all time favorite…. That would be…. Wait, no… it _was _actually.

"We're the last of the sleepless ones."

I sung along

"Left behind, by those we left behind tonight!"

The lyrics flowed like water, they were so smooth against a rugged backdrop of drums and electricity.

"Quiet now, let the poison take!"

"were we always? Just your lost cause mistake?"

It wasn't easy to get this song. Or by that, ANY of their music really. They were big, yeah. In _this _town. Any one who's any one considering themselves music know-hows would know April Appall. But this is… this particular song was never released. _Anywhere. _

Only performed. You know live gigs.

"Alone left alone! Watch us slowly disappear in time!"

"unknown! Still unknown! Forgotten lost! And left alone! Watch us slowly disappear in time!"

Yes, I got it in mint condition, not a crappy audio live performance. Notice it almost always sounds low quality if you record it live? With all the noise and echoes, egh. It don't really work! :P "haha got that right!" I thought aloud. It wasn't easy to get it, whenever I saw them live, I couldn't quite see. Them. The back was all I could get and everyone would pogo or mosh (accordingly to the song, and sometimes even wave their cell phones in the air.) and they would crowd my vision.

So I never really got to see the performances too clearly. I filed thorough my ipod. She had a lot of songs, my ipod, I pressed "april appall" on the artists section.

Wow… actually. Retrospect reveals that they _did_ have many songs. Well atleast It was a lot on my ipod. But not nearly as much as other filler bands I've seen. The thing was, nearly none of their songs were really bad. Or fillers, you know? Most of them were listen-worthy. Ear-worthy. "pfft, but not like _my _songs. Haha!" I said aloud. My own compositions were unique and numerous. Though my conditions… were just that, conditioned. Bounded. I have a recording room yes, paper white on the inside with sound proof padding inside the walls. And I _had _a band yes.

I … _had_… was the keyword in this sentence. It just fell apart. So then I just continued alone. I'd invite friends or randomly skilled people to record and play instruments. Sometimes it'd turn out sumptuously good! Other times… it sounded like Sasuke bragging on a day you're just not willing to put up with…. Ugh. I just saw it as a lil side project, and a mental sanctuary.

A place to purge my thoughts or emotions. Because of this, I eventually just started picking up lone instruments and recording all by myself. After doing all the instrument's sounds required for a track, I'd mix it all up on my laptop.

The result: A dulcet stanza. Harmonized sweetly with all my own playings. Some (and most ehhehe) instruments I guess I just experimented with the sound. Sometimes though, it turned out to be a riotous, morose song. I loved those.

I called my project ~ "November Comes Never" ~

I would release such songs from November comes never on the internet. Just audio though, no video or anything. Just the song name, the band (November comes never) download link, and the masterpiece itself in audio form.

…. I still like April Appall though ^w^

"hm… you know what?" I monologued. "reminiscing is VERY hard work! … im hungry! :D" I beamed and jumped out of bed to have some yum yums!

Dashing madly to the kitchen, I automatically inserted Miso ramen in the microwave. "Ah shit!" my song shuffled when I moved too fast! "Hmm?"

"All day, staring at the ceiling making. Friends with shadows on my walls. All night! Hearing voices telling me that I should get some sleep, because tomorrow might be good for something"

Th-that song. Hah! Well speak of the Devil… that's by November comes never! Me an my acoustic that is,. That and the drums is really all I professionally play. The other stuff I do for November comes never… well I just mess around with and hope for the Godamn best XD. "haha"

BEEEP! "oh my ramen!" I scurried over to the microwave and placed it on the table "yum! Bona-petite!" I said to an otherwise empty table. It almost echoed. I just dug in.

"ahhh… ALL DONE! :D" I cleaned up and considered getting another bowl…but contemplated _not._

I took her , my ipod to the living room and switched the T.V on although my music still blasted. "I don't care about the weather! Infact let it storm for all I care! Haha!" I changed the channel from weather to something more interesting.

And my song blasted "this is the scent of dead skin on a Linoleum floor. This is the scent of quarantine wings in a hospital1 it's not so pleasant and it's not so conventional! It sure as hell aint normal! But we deal, we deal!"

Let's see what's on t.v…news…weather…news….weather…reapeating mantra of news and weather "UUUGH!" I lazily muttered. I shuffled the song. Haha! Dead on!

"I know it's sad, that I never gave a Damn about the weather, but it never gave a damn about me! I know it's mad but if I went to hell would you come with me? Or just leave. I know it's mad but if the world were ending would you kiss me or just leave me? Just leave me."

Well apart from the chaotic, apocalyptic verses, it's pretty much on the dot about the weather. "Wouldn't care if it stormed haha!"

_*BOOOM* "oh damn….thunder…"_

_:D hey peeps, yeah here's the song line up! In orda! :D_

_1. Dissapear by- Anberlin_

_2. unwell by- Matchbox 20_

_3. Do you see what i'm seeing? by- Panic at the disco! (P!TD!)_


	10. Like the rainbow reflected off the rain

.;:Gaara:;.

Sitting on the roof…it was just a thing I did. It wasn't at all intimidating. In fact, it was rather soothing if not anything.

Sometimes….I even brought an instrument up here. The most convenient was the guitar, but I occasionally took the keyboard or the Melodica. A melodica…. Is a small, handheld, flute-keyboard hybrid. You blow into it while playing the keyboards on the bottom part. Small and portible, it was quite lovely. Dulcet.

Today though, I only brought …my pod. The song was a rush-drummed, chaotic blur of sound. It was exploding from my headphones.

Would the word… _Dramatic_, be fitting?

"and it goes… on and on! And I just feel helpless! (how long will this take to wear out!) ON AND ON! When will I get through this! Welcome to my own down and out!"

Well what …_charming_…lyrics.

The view up here….it was marvelous. Just plain scenic. Despite the aggressiveness of the song, the view from the roof was exactly the opposite. Unfitting music to such a peaceful place.

There was a lake. A shimmering lake catching the spurs of light that was slowly sinking down, dragging the cotton-candy colors with it.

My head revolved to the side….*sniff* I snatched my pod and instantly rushed through the roof. Halting to a stop, I vigorously leaped through the open window, back into the house.

"agh! My song…" it had shuffled.

Oh. It's this one. That's fine then. Nowhere near my favorite no, never. Especially since it was….only a cover. A rock cover, for you see, my musical tastes range quite a bit… But I tend to linger on the subject of rock. It's deeper and less…mindless than most hip-hop and pop. I'm not _too fond_ of those…

"Annie are you ok? You ok? You ok, Annie?"

I drifted downstairs. Temari was cooking and Kankura was sittin on his lazy ass watching shit on the television. For the most part, the shit on Tv…was well shit. _"well said" _'…you just do **not **know personal boundaries, do you?' I thought. _"no, especially since I may or may not be just a figment of your imagination" _

' oh well that makes me feel better'

"Hey Gaara….You hungry?" Temari cautiously asked.

I swiftly took a seat at the table, pod by my side.

Always by my side.

"So real these voices in my head! When it comes back you won't be scared and lonely! You won't be scared, you wont be! Lonely!"

I picked up a fork and started fiddling with it. I stopped and flicked my eyes to Temari. She was still…patiently waiting.

"Starving" I hissed.

Temari showed obvious trepidation and scurried back into the kitchen. The song ended and shuffled once more.

"_my… you do show tangible intensity." _the voice spoke. 'and is that a… bad thing?' I dared him to agree with that statement.

"_it almost seems as if you could just…go out and hunt for your prey kahaha! XD" _I snarled in response. "alright! It's coming!" Temari slid a place of coconut shrimp balls across the table to me. I guess she thought that was a snarl of hers.

I picked at it. Meagerly picking up small pieces to chew on. No, it's not that she was a bad cook….just sometimes it was plain inedible. A plate of breaded chicken slid over along with apple juice.

I found when I finished, Temari had gone off somewhere. Kankuro was still moping out on his lazy ass in front of that machine. "*ahem* , Kankuro…." I called out, reposed.

He froze. " I seemed to have forgotten," I took something out of my backpack. "to _. Deliver. _This." I held a folded note in the air.

*gulp* "err what is it?" he inquired.

"well…you find it surprising. But it's actually…"

I leaned in dangerously close to the side of his face . Well…dangerous for _him. _Hehe. And whispered.

"A note" _"Your sarcasm kills me haha! Look at his face! Sad, yes but utterly humorous!" _

' oh be quiet!' I thought back. I flicked the note at him since he was too scared to grab it himself… feh.

*BEEP* the song shuffled due to the sudden movement. Mutated whispers filled the tune of a piano's plinking.

"snow falls, in September. April feels like December. Has hope left here forever? Open up our narrow minds!"

I stood right up and went for the front door."I feel like a walk…be back in….well, maybe not. Hehe"

Without a second glance back, I exited.

* * *

"what have we done? Can't you see? Start by picking up the pieces! Before the ground just falls beneath us!"

At this point, I had gone a good distance from the house. It was an indistinguishable blur now. The house. The song ended…. And now a melancholy piano offered to a morose singer. A vaguely… _familiar_ voice?

"what would it take? For things to be quiet. Quiet like the snow. Well I know! This isn't much! But I know! I know! I could be better!"

_***BOOM!***_

Wait…that's not part of the song. I looked up. To find ominously purple clouds . Almost devouring all the jubilant white-fleeced clouds. But were they strangling each other? Making the white ones turn purple in the face? Choking and choking? Could they not….escape?

"I don't think I deserve it. Selfishness, find your way! Into my heart! A~ll stars could be brighter! All hearts could be warmer!"

I felt the rain coming. I headed back.

The humidity was obvious and swarmed the air with it's heat.

_***BOOOOOM***_ a piercing bolt ran through the mass-murder battlefield of Dark and light Clouds.

"what would it take? For things to be quiet?"

The last line seemed to soak up all the rain as it trickled down. Like a sponge of trustfulness. _"or maybe it's just your wall of sand. Acting out on it's own" _I silently meandered these empty roads, but stopped to flick down my barrier of sand.

"maybe I want to feel the rain."

* * *

woooh! i just found that line button! lol xD well here ish da songs! i REALLY reccomend chu listen to them while reading! :P

1. Hyper-insomnia-para-condrioid - sum41

criminal - Alien ant farm (btw, this one's a cover as it states. so listen to this not MJ's awesoume version...well you can do that 2 x3)

3. scared - three days grace

4. what have we done? - the veer union

5. LOUDER THAN THUNDER - THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA


	11. Each day

.;:Author's POV:;.

THE NEXT DAY

Thursday. Trip: FRIDAY!

"OK class! Calm down! I know school's almost out but we need all slips in! ok… yeah, just pass them to the front" everyone took out similar yellow-papers.

"alright …naruto, tenn tenn… hinata… um temari, were you informed of the details?" asked Iruka, obviously cautious due to the fact that she was a "sand sibling". "yes, thank you for _keeping_ me informed" kankuro, at this point sat smug and ready for public appraisal. It was intead, Gaara who was originally assigned the task, that received public appraisal. "Yes very well, and thank you Gaara for carrying through" Iruka said, much to Gaara's dismay… he loathed much of any attention in that way. He knew it'd cause people to turn heads, and then mentally think bad of him. He loathed the attention…. Except for one type

"_On stage" _

The voice reminded Gaara. "Temari err….-" "you can go with choji and shikamaru Nara" interrupted Kakashi. Temari snarled but nodded. "aaand… Hinata dear, why don't you and ino switch places? Wouldn't that be a better team for you?" kakashi asked.

Hinata nodded fiercely and rushed to hide behind her friend, Kiba.

Ino beamed like a theatre light in a foggy sky and lightning-fast ran to Sasuke's side. Defensively, sakura kicked her ass of him.

"HEY! GET OFF _MY _**SASU-KUN**! KAKAAAASHI! SEND HER BAAACK! Please? That's my last wish!"

"hahah sorry sakura! Hinata would work twice as better in this time!….and anyways, I've already granted you three so called 'wishes'. 1. Putting you with sasuke. 2. NOT pairing you with Naruto and 3. Not pairing you with Ino…at first haha!" sakura stomped off to cling and quarrel over sasuke.

"hum….er Matsuri, you come from around the place Gaara comes right? Come join this team_, NARUTO _could use all the help he could get"

Little Matsuri was startled, but soon pranced over to Gaara and Naruto.

"HEY! I could do just _FINE _on my own!" he gave off a proud smile.

Iruka and Kakashi tried to contain a laugh…but in the end it burst out into lau-ha-ha-ghter. "well teams! Your all allowed 6 bags per team so go home and PACKUP! :D whatever you want….so long as it's legal, haha!"

Somewhere in the background crowd of people you could hear a voice. It said something along the lines of.

"DARN!" it sounded oddly familiar to sai's.

"Any questions come see me after school." "OH and you'r tickets and bus numbers will be given to you TOMMAROW! Be here at 9:30 Am….._**SHARP!"**_

Kakashi fiercely added.

_***DRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING***_

The class seemed to flee the room, leaving behind papers pencils, and much noise. No one was left in there except the teachers.

"… noisy bunch aren't they Irukun?"

"why yes, very noise HA! Some of those teams aware…. _interesting. _Heh let's just… leave it at that."

Kakashi chuckled and replied.

"weeeel we gotta have a show while there, right?"

Iruka laughed. "yup. It's just…you never can tell what's gonna happen….EVER. Remember that one year Itachi went to the island a big girl-dater and came back….with….painted nails….ugh" iruka laughed.

Kakashi also snickered and added "yeah! That's what makes it so…. **Interesting**"

::Temari::

(yes! Temari! Isn't that_… Interesting! Lol!)_

"*Sigh* I packed down my clothes and shut the zipper. "ugh it wont….gr! Go!" I sat down on it and quickly latched it up. "phew! There….damn luggage, I can't believe I couldn't find a bigger one." oh wait! Shampoo! I ran to the bathroom to grab th-

"EEP!"

I ran back and hid behind the wall. W-was that G-gaara? I glanced around the corner… y-you do NOT want to disturb him if he's looking in the mirror. Like in the morning, when he's getting ready in the morning…he'll….eX_p_l**O**DE on you. I peeked round the wall into the bathroom.

" oh, it's just you Kankuro…. Gimee my shampoo huh?" "alriiiight!" he tossed It over. I grabbed my bags and took them downstairs, where I set everything by the door. "there"

hm? Oh great. Who's bags are _THOSE?_

Leavin' them all out om the living room. "tsst tssk, Kankuro. Hehe . Let's just see what your packing"

:D unzipping the top, countless electronics and wires poured out from the top. "egh….what's this? Keyboard….Flute thing? Mini-keyboard! Cord tuning…machine? Ipod speakers….ipod charger….ipod _HEADPHONES…. _little recordy-thingy…guitar picks. Many of them God! It's like a rainbow oozed out on them! Batteries…. And wtf? Paints? Canvas and…." I jerked my head up

-"Oh shit"

I hurridly replaced every single little thing _**EXACTLY **_where it was.

"th-this is GAARA'S!" I jammed the zipper up as hastily as I zipped it down.

"what's mine?"

"EEP! Em…er _ARE_ these yours?" I pointed to the bags that I now knew obviously belonged to the stoic Gaara. Maybe acting innocent…might get me off this death hook? Gaara eyed me warily…. Almost insulted-like, but simply answered. "yes, and?" he floated over and lay a hand protectively on his bag. Not like hugging it but laying a mere hand on it. I backed away slightly.

"…im not done packing…don't touch it."

Then he bounded off to no doubt somewhere dark and reminiscing of a castle's torcher room.

His room. "Oh my **GOD**!" I leaped off the couch and into the protection of my own, much brighter, plushier, and flowery room.


	12. Is now just anotherwell

.;:Naruto:;.

I rummaged through the great deal of clothes I rarely ever wore. But nothing else was clean, so I threw it in the bag. Some of the stuff in there, I hadn't wore in a long….long time.

I slammed the case closed and opened a window to even it out.

'I wish I could just….n…fly off"

Look at those birds out there…

"Lucky" I pulled _her_ out. No I don't think I ever officially gave her a name… I know she's a she though. That's all I need :D "Haha!"

"Pack up all my things and get my _ass_ outta town!"

Hm, I do have to finish packing.

"but the summer is a bummer, if you can't leave, this pathetic excuse for a town! That holds all your memories, a lifetime of crushes, and your broken dreams, to be anywhere but here!" I sung along,

"but baby anywhere, is away from me!"

*sigh* the birds outside chirped along right to the undeniable tune of these Big City Dreams. Oh yeah. Packing!

I went into the bathroom and grabbed soooap, shampoo, conditioner, tooothpaste, toothbrush, towel, etc. etc. only to sprint back and jam it all into one small, bottom pocket.

"This mid-west town, is gonna miss you."

The last line rung it's melancholy out through me.

"let's seee… aha!" O. K ! I went to my room and threw open my drawers. "AGH!" no… really, they .. The drawer and clothes jus-just fell out, SEE! See RIGHT…RIGHT THERE! EVERYWHERE! "Aaaand now I just need to clean even _more_. Haha! Not that I ever will :P"

"Belt, har gel, belt, hair spray, deodorant, belt, rings, bracelet…belt"

All of which was packing into yet another tiny pocket. I needed to save room, afterall! :D including the belts.

Did I mention the belts?

Yes, I did clearly enjoy belts. Mostly this was due to the fact of my…. less than average…height. Well, used to. I needed belts back then, but ever since my random-miracle growth sprout, I just utilize them now as a fashion statement. Yay!

"alright! I have clothes, accessories, oh yeah! The paper also said to (optionally hehehe) bring some mula! They have like, some sort of Downtown…island…thingy, area with shops. Ha! I'll believe it when I see it, I mean aren't we going to some indigenous little hula-hula island? I mean despite the ultra-tech houses, heh. ;D"

I walked to the safe, placed at the very top of my closet, snuggling up into folds in my clothes.

"the safe"

Inputting the code, which I won't tell you, hehe.

"$500 outta the box!" I jammed this in my wallet and put that in my travel bag…wait, what's missing?

"OH!" I realized what the lack was as the song changed.

"summer don't know me no more. Eager man that's all!

Summer don't know me no more! Just let me know, am I safe?

Cuz I do know love! From you that's, just dying!"

Love this song. I ran down some stairs and into the basement.

"Tudududu!"

I made random noises to sing along, even though it was impossible to assume this was because I didn't know the words.

Actually this was absurd, revolting, and possibly insulting.

In fact, most songs on…_she_ had, I knew by heart. By this statement I not only mean the stereotypical kid saying "oh! I 3 that song! Know it by heart!" no, no no! I myself mean that it has been grinding a train track into my brain so many times that it has almost been scripted into my heart with the rhythm of it. J

I grabbed my specially crafted headphones from the basement.

"Yeah…these things are my most precious…"

I couldn't find…_worthy _enough words to conclude. That sentence

I shook it off. The thought, that is. If I were to keep thinking…_thoughts. _Plural. Not necessarily pleasant…but not horrid either.

I looked through some boxes next to the headphones.

"lessee…CASIO OOH! I'll take it! :D…Audio recorder?"

I brought it out…. Held it up to the light, to check if "yah…"

I stared at it…blankly. Vacant. Like the so called "haunted" hotel room no one would check out. Like the "haunted" house no one dared trick or treat on Hollow's eve. I was still and "haunted" by the flash-backs I assumed were coming to attack me.

I hadn't used that since… Sasuke?

"I…I guess th,the scenery there might…inspire me."

My song went on, and I recalled the next line. Fairly well.

"I saw that Da-a-a-a-a-y! Lost my Mi-I-ind!

Lord I'm Fi-I-I-I-I-ne.."

Oh no.

"and in time, you'll want to be mine"

Tsk tsk, you know I shouldn't be worrying over this…instead…I should GO GET SOME RAMEN! YEAH! :DDD

*shake* I shook and the beep noise assured me I would not be listening to that song any longer.

"work it, make it, do it, makes us!"

"aaah, completely harmless techno!" I said aloud

"Harder, better, faster, stronger!"

Hehe, it _does _sound…wrong though. "haha!"

I took my junk and put it in an empty box.

Hm…I caressed the lonely drum set a the back of the room..

"yeaaah. Haha goood times. Too bad they prolly won't fit in my bags. Hah! Imagine iruka-sensei's face if he saw them!"

..I bit m lip, and gave the drums a sorrowfull, if not only concerned look.

Without a second thought I swiped the drum sticks off the top and threw it in with the items in the box. This, I then took upstairs.

As I ran up, the song shuffled yet again. A song that made me quite…sleepy.

"yeah yeah. I'll pay. Tomorrow. Tomorrow comes today."


End file.
